Pregnant!
by Mrs. Wilbur Robinson
Summary: Franny falls pregnant again! But accidents only the Robinson family could get themselves into interfere with the natural order of things, leaving more than one person depressed. Rated T to be safe.
1. Sickly

_**A/N: Yay! I love Meet the Robinsons! Don't kill me, but I also happen to like the pairings how they are in the movie...that means Franny/Cornelius. If you don't like it...get over it! I had this random idea sometime ago, but I don't know where and how it's going to end yet. It'll get a bit angsty in future chapters, I know that much. Set in the time frame just after the movie, and rated T to be safe...just in case a comment between my two fav lovebirds makes you complain. Please read, enjoy, review...flames welcome, but not too hot. My tootsies would get burnt. Oh, BTW, if you didn't know...MTR belongs to Disney. -sob!-**_

Pregnant

It was Saturday morning. Franny rolled over on their king-size mattress, her hand grasping for the waist of her husband. Nothing. She shook herself out of her semi-conscious state and squinted in the light intruding from the blinds. Cornelius's side of the bed was most definitely empty. _Huh, s_he thought. _That's a bit odd_.

Lifting her pyjama-clad body from the tangle of sheets, Franny yawned and stretched, glancing at the alarm clock. She did a double take. _9:30 in the morning?! Not again. I bet even Wilbur is up now. _Franny had been sleeping every night for up to thirteen hours for the past couple of months, accompanied with frequent headaches. She wondered if people can 'oversleep', because she usually felt more drowsy every time she woke up. Nothing serious enough to warrant a visit to the family doctor…yet. There was a note on her dresser from Cornelius and she smiled as she read it.

'_Good morning sunshine. You looked like you needed all the sleep you could get after last night-' _(Franny grinned smugly) _'-and I didn't have the heart to wake you. Me and Wilbur are going to TodayLand for that birthday party of his, remember? Be back at 11. Love, Cornelius.'_ Franny put the note in her nightstand, her query of why there was an absence of muffled explosions wracking the house having been answered.

Showering and dressing quickly, Franny walked out of the master suite and headed for the kitchen 2 floors below, hoping to stop the building migraine she could feel pounding behind her eyelids before it got any worse.

Upon greeting Carl as she entered the kitchen, Franny fetched one of her husband's 'gel-wraps' from the freezer, placing the cooling solution against her forehead and sighing gratefully at the feel of it as she sat at the island counter.

"Good morning, dear. You look knackered," commented Lucille as she crossed the doorway and saw Franny. "Caffeine patch? They always get me cheery." She commented while grabbing the juice box from the fridge. _Really? _Thought Franny grumpily. _Couldn't tell. _She sighed and shook her head.

"No thankyou. In fact, if you don't need me around the house this morning, I think I'm going to take another nap," Franny replied tiredly, getting up from the counter with the gel-wrap still firmly plastered to her head. Lucille nodded distractedly, mopping up spilt juice from the table. Franny took this as a yes, and quickly retreated back to her bedroom before any other of her bizarre relatives made an appearance.

She leaned against the door, whimpering as pain shot across her hairline. She got up and made her way to the bed, sinking into the pillows as her eyes drifted shut…

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Wilbur leaned against his window in the backseat of the hover-craft, seething. His father gave him a look, which dashed any thoughts of back-chatting the man. But Wilbur knew that it wasn't _his _fault that Jack McKenzie deserved a face-full of cake for calling him a spoilt brat who hides behind his mothers skirts. Which was exactly what Wilbur had given him. 2 minutes later, Lisa Ralph was in tears as her birthday party was in ruins after the food-fight. No one even remembered how the insults had started, but that didn't stop Wilbur from being picked up an hour early after a furious holo-call to his father.

Cornelius parked the 'craft after a VERY long and silent 20-minute drive back to their home. He turned off the ignition and turned in his seat, and just sighed as Wilbur stubbornly glared out the window.

"Look at me."

Wilbur turned, and struggled to meet his father's eyes. Cornelius just shook his head, indicating how disappointed he was in his only son. He suddenly got out of the car, startling Wilbur. He doubted he would get off that easily. He was absolutely right. As soon as his feet touched the ground, Cornelius took hold of his upper arm and led him up the stairs, dumping him in his room.

"You will stay here until your mother has a word with you." His tone made it clear that if he tried to leave…Wilbur gulped.

Cornelius walked swiftly out of the room, heading for the stairs. Franny would be up by now, and he decided to check her music room first. He swung open the door, but she was nowhere in sight. _Weird, _he thought.

"Frankie, have you seen Franny?" He asked of the singing frog. The amphibian shook his green head.

"No sir, not since last night after band practise." Cornelius nodded and made his way to the kitchen. On the way he passed Tallulah and Lazlo fighting in the corridor, and inquired as to where Franny was. He left after receiving a negative answer, and they resumed their squabbling as he continued on his way.

In the kitchen, Cornelius found his mother steadily mixing a batch of biscuits next to a chattering Aunt Billie, who left after polishing what looked like a train whistle.

"Hello dear. Why, you're home early! I hope that our little Wilbur hasn't…" Lucille faded out, as she watched Cornelius shaking his head angrily.

"Actually that's why I'm here. Have you seen Franny? As much as I hate to admit it, she handles the kid a lot better than me." Lucille chucked.

"I think you leave a bigger mark on your son than what you think, dear. And yes I did see her, she said she was going to take a nap. Poor thing looked like she had a killer headache, if you ask me. If she needs anything, don't hesitate to ask me, OK?" Cornelius nodded absently, as he left for his master suite, lost in thought. _Franny had seemed perfectly fine last night, _he thought._ Maybe she's caught a 24 hour virus or something. _Franny was not the only one who had took note of her odd sleeping habits and stray headaches, and it worried Cornelius.

He knocked loudly on the door, listening intently. Pushing it open, he ran to the bedside as he bent over his wife.

"Franny!"

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**_Sorry if it seems a bit short, I'm still getting into the hang of things! ;) Chapter 2, here we go-o!_**


	2. Doctor! Doctor!

**_'Face it tiger...you just hit the jackpot!!' That's like my favourite line from Spiderman comics...which I don't own any more than I own anything MTR. -sigh.- They say everyone has a novel in them...I don't think this will ever get to be 1/10th the size of a novel, but what do you expect of a 15 year old kid who needs some excitement in their life?! Obviously you do as well if you're reading these words...enough of this banter with myself. People will think I'm crazy. On with the show!_**

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"Franny!"

She was lying half-off the bed, hair plastered onto her sweaty face, the gel-wrap lying on the floor. Her face was a sickly green, and she groaned into the pillow. Cornelius rolled her as gently as possible onto her back and took her pale face into his hands, noting how hot her forehead felt.

"Honey? Franny, wake up!"

She groaned and blinked, gazing blurrily into her husband's worried face. She made to get up, but immediately sank back into the pillows as Cornelius held down her arms when she started to dry retch. He dug one hand into his pocket, flicking on his phone and hitting a number on his speed-dial.

"Hello, Doctor Osborne? This is Cornelius Robinson. Feel up for a house call?" After a few moments more discussion, Cornelius ended the call, and strode over to the intercom located next to every door in most rooms.

"Mum? You there?"

"Yes, love- how's Franny? Is she still asleep?" Lucille inquired. Cornelius glanced over at the bed.

"Not exactly. Can you please make sure Wilbur stays put in his room? Doctor Osborne is coming over in a minute to take a look at Franny and I don't need him interfering-"

"Mr. Osborne?! What's wrong with her? She seemed fine this morning!"

"It's probably not as bad as it looks, but I'm not taking any chances. I have to go."

"OK, love. I'll be with Wilbur…keep us updated." The connection ended, and Cornelius dragged a chair over to the bedside where his slumbering wife lay as he waited for the doorbell, worry lines creasing his didn't have to ponder long. Twenty minutes later, the good doctor was packing up his gear, not looking nearly as concerned as Cornelius felt.

"Well. I don't really know how to break this to yeh, mate…" the doctor grinned as he watched Cornelius rocking on the balls of his feet. "…She's pregnant."

Silence.

"Mate? Didja hear me?" _Judging by the poor bloke's expression, I think he did._ Mr. Osborne smiled again as he slung his equipment over his shoulder. "She'll be fine in a weeks' time, being a couple months along already. I'm surprised she hadn't already called in for a check-up, these symptoms don't just crop up over-night. Well I best be takin' my leave. Feel free to schedule a appointment anytime during the next month, OK?" Cornelius still hadn't said anything, and continued to stare at his wife's midriff in a daze. Doctor Osborne smiled and whistled to a random tune as he waltzed through the home, knowing this family very well on account of their extra-curricular activities. They kept his business running, really.

Back in the main bedroom, Cornelius' thoughts were still doing cartwheels inside his brain as he sat down next to his slumbering wife. _Another baby? Another Robinson kid! What'll everyone say? They'll be thrilled, that's for sure…but what will WILBUR think, now the spotlight's going to be shared? Will their rather large age gap complicate things? How the heck am I going to tell him?! For that matter, how am I supposed to break it to Franny? _

While lost in his thoughts, Franny stirred up beside him, headache worse than ever. She squeezed the hand held tight in hers, and Cornelius seemed to pull himself together, and smiled down at her.

"How are you feeling, sweetheart?" He whispered, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. Franny yawned.

"Tired. Do you have another gel-wrap? I think the other fell off-" She stopped when Cornelius nodded and got up quickly, crossing to the intercom.

"Wilbur?"

"Yeah dad, what's going on? What happened to mum?" Cornelius looked back at Franny, who was also looking at him inquiringly. He decided to kill two birds with one stone, and asked:

"Wilbur, can you go down to the kitchen and fetch your mother another gel-wrap? Thanks." He let go of the button, and brought another chair to Franny's side of the bed and sat down, playing with the hem of his shirt to avoid his wife's gaze. She continued to stare at him, and he could tell that she was more than a little concerned about her predicament.

Wilbur entered the room, almost at a run, and closed the door quickly. He sat in the other chair, and looked back and forth between his parents as he handed over the ice cold gel-wrap.

"This isn't about my punishment, is it?" Wilbur asked in a quiet voice. Cornelius almost laughed, it had seemed like days ago when he had left Wilbur in his room to find Franny, instead of only an hour. Franny stared at her son, then her husband. _What did he do now?! _seemed to pass through both their heads at the same time. Cornelius tried to diffuse the situation before his wife got even more upset.

"We can sort that out later. Doctor Osborne came around after I found you Fran, and I have some rather big news to tell you both." Mother and son both leaned forward, not wanting to miss Cornelius' next words. He cleared his throat, then looked directly at Wilbur while grasping Franny's slim fingers.

"Wilbur…your mother's pregnant."

It was just how Cornelius had reacted. Absolute silence for a whole minute. Franny looked at her husband, eyes wide. He nodded and grinned. She squealed and leapt on him as Cornelius caught her around the waist and spun her around the room, both smiling like lunatics.

Wilbur just sat, staring at his hands. _Mum…pregnant? _But as hard as he tried, Wilbur couldn't find it in him to act selfish about this and whine about how this would affect _him_. Instead he found himself thinking about if it would be a boy or girl, what they would look like, and how many swear words Wilbur could teach his sibling and get away with it. He looked up as he felt a hand on his shoulder, into the bright blue eyes of his beaming father.

"Wow…" was all Wilbur could manage before his dad swept him into a bear hug. Franny smiled as she climbed back into bed, hand pressed almost protectively against her still rather flat tummy. Suddenly:

"Lunch is ready!" Carl's voice rang through the speakers, and Cornelius released his son, scuffing his hair up as he did so. Wilbur scowled at his father and fixed it as he walked over to his mum and kissed her forehead. He waited outside the room, tapping his foot impatiently for his dad as his parents shared a rather intimate kiss and some murmured words. Cornelius closed the door with a soft _click!_ and walked with Wilbur down to the dining hall. Both had to hide their silly grins when they entered the room, not wanting to give away their secret _too_ early…

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**_You know you want to stick around! Please review and make my boring day worth dragging my feet thru!!!_**


	3. Telling the folks

**_A/N: I don't own MTR, yadda yadda yadda. Enjoy!_**

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Gaston grinned at Wilbur as he entered the dining hall and took a seat, loading up his meatball cannon with carrot sticks with both eyebrows narrowed. Wilbur patted his knife and smiled at Gaston, who put down the cannon mouthing: _you're no fun._ Cornelius took a seat at the opposite end of the table from where his mother sat, as she looked ready to kill him over information about Franny. Cornelius looked over at his son, who was tugging his bowl of soup from the miniature Carl whom he had kicked out of the window yesterday.

After finally retrieving his lunch (which was half-spilt down his top), Wilbur caught his dad's eye and made a gesture to his stomach with his hands, then pointed to himself and smiled hopefully. Cornelius chuckled and nodded, _he _didn't have any ideas how to bring it up anyway.

Wilbur beamed at him, then surprised his father when he grabbed an empty cup and lobbed it over to Gaston, which clipped him on the head. The family stopped talking and leaned back a little as Gaston inspected his damaged cowlick in the back of his spoon. Growling at his nephew, Gaston retrieved his cannon from God-knows-where, and launched what looked like half a fruit salad at Wilbur. The boy in question leapt out of his seat before being peppered with lunch, at the same time shouting:

"Hah! My two-month old sibling has better aim than _that_!!!"

Gaston stopped halfway through loading a celery stick to slowly turn his head around to stare at Wilbur, the other Robinsons following suit. Wilbur grinned and leapt on his dad, who ruffled his hair affectionately. Lucille was the first to break the spell, which started the whole flood of inevitable questions.

"Franny's _pregnant?!?_"

"WHAT?!?"

"Sibling?!?"

"Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh!"

"Another baby! Ooh, how exciting!"

"Way to go, Cornelius!"

Wilbur looked rather horrified at the last comment, making his father laugh as they were both ingulfed in hugs from their chattering family. Aunt Billie, Tallulah and Lucille excused themselves before heading up to talk with Franny, baby talk wafting back down through the corridors.

Cornelius grabbed his Wilbur's upper arm as the others departed, and leaned down to whisper humourously in his son's ear:

"I couldn't have said it better myself...well..."

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**_Short, yeah...but it was only one scene and I couldn't think of anything else. _**


	4. Junior

**_A/N: Aloha. Me likey MTR a lotty. But sadly, me no owny anyfingy. _**

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Five months later, Franny felt on top of the moon. Her small waist had expanded dramatically (compared to 20cm it was beforehand), and all signs of 'morning sickness' had passed. She had attracted more than a little attention from reporters while shopping for her new child. Another Robinson kid? The news of more offspring from the founder of the future and a very talented musician isn't an everyday occurence, after all.

Franny and Cornelius had decided on using the empty room down the hallway from their own as a nursery. He and Wilbur had already used up a whole weekend to paint it sunshine yellow, something Wilbur detested but his parents agreed on. It had taken Carl another week to scrape stray paint off the ceiling from the multiple paint-fights that had ensued.

Franny smiled, shaking her head as she and Wilbur looked through catalouges in the living room. Her son had just picked out a Captain Time Travel blanket for his younger sibling. His parents had foregone the knowledge of their child's gender, wanting to be surprised. Franny didn't know it, but her husband and son had a $50 bet running on the gender of the baby. Wilbur _knew_ it was a boy. Cornelius _knew_ a girl when he felt the baby kicking inside Franny's growing belly...something which had constantly kept him awake in the past few weeks.

"Mum...what about this one?"

"Uh-uh. Definately not."

"Oookay, what about-"

"No."

"But you haven't even seen it yet! What about this chargeball set-"

"Chargeball?! Don't sass me, Wilbur- you do realise this is a _baby_?"

"I'm not _stupid_...hey! Look at this!" He was pointing to a bib with the lightning symbol stamped on the front.

"No, Wilbur. How do you even spot those things? Just pick out a plain blue one or something neutral. We don't even know if the baby's a _boy_, never mind if it likes Captain Time Travel!"

Franny picked up the catalouge and continued to sift through as Wilbur sighed, scribbling a rather large number of objects off the mail order list. Wilbur had surprisingly been as excited about the whole affair as Franny, which was totally unexpected, coming from him. The whole thing had become easier with Wilbur already knowing about the 'birds and the bees.' (Cornelius had told him a number of years ago while working on the time machine- so he didn't have to look his blushing son in the eye.) This left no awkward questions about how the baby was going to arrive and why Franny's stomach was beginning to look like half a blimp.

The rest of the Robinsons had been as supportive as they could. Multiple comments such as "now Franny, are you _sure_ you can handle that?" and "maybe you should go lie down, dear...wouldn't want you tiring yourself" became a daily occurence. Cornelius was the number one culprit when it came to these questions, and doted hand-and-foot on his wife all hours of the day. His inventions at the industry had grounded to a standstill, but no-one could blame him for being the good father and husband that he was.

At that moment, Cornelius was hammering the new crib together in the bedroom. Franny lifted herself off the couch and stretched, purposefully dropping her mail-order list on Wilbur's head as she did so.

"Oi!"

"Something the matter, honey? I'm going to check up on your father- and I don't want to see _any _new additions to that list that aren't _strictly_ for the baby by the time I get back."

Wilbur grumbled and crossed another two items off the mail-order while his mother smirked at him. She headed out the room and slowly made her way up the spiraling staricase- she had refused flat out whenever someone suggested taking the Travel Tubes, the exercise was good for her. Two minutes later Franny was knocking on the door decorated with a beautiful nameplate which had yet to be filled. _That reminds me..._she thought absentmindedly as she walked in, revealing a finished crib and a happy-looking Cornelius. He smiled at her and fitted a hand around her waist, holding the crib's assembly instructions in his free hand.

"What do you think?" Cornelius asked her proudly.

"It's magnificent, dear. Just curious...but what's that thing on the headboard?"

"New invention. Whenever the baby gets real agitated, it plays a recording of us saying soothing stuff and all to try and calm it down, and at the same time sends a signal to this watch if it needs to be fed or changed." Franny stared at her husband, then hugged him tightly.

"Only you, dear..." Cornelius grinned and pecked her forehead. Franny looked up at him and asked:

"Thought about a name or two yet?" Cornelius blinked, then patted his pockets for what must have been a list.

"Yeah, hang on, they're here somewhere...ah!" There was a line down the middle of the page, with one name on the 'boy' side and about a dozen down the 'girl' side. Franny chuckled and shook her head.

"Even _I'm _not that sure it's gonna be a girl. Hmm...I don't like Madeline, or Amy, or Shenae...what about that one?" She pointed to a scribble at the bottom of the list. He smiled as he thought about it.

"It's a deal."

"What if it's a boy? No offense, but I don't really agree with what you've got here- '_Cornelius Junior.' _" He laughed out loud.

"Yeah, about that. I honestly believe it's gonna be a girl, so I wrote the first thing that came to mind. Don't worry, I hate the name as well."

"What about James? I've always liked that name..." she asked thoughtfully. He tightened his grip around her, just a tad.

"I think it's great. But because Wilbur is the boy believer in this household, why don't we ask him?" She nodded and yawned as she took one last glance around the room. Bending down, she picked up a rather important-looking bolt and raised an eyebrow.

"Um, Cornelius..."

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**_Did you know that my husband, Wilbur, eats yummy reviews for dinner? He's skinny enough already, don't let him starve, people! LOL...oh and yes, the girl name is supposed to be a secret. Either that, or I haven't thought one up yet...but you'll never know, ey?_**


	5. Grace

_**A/N: Thankyou to my reviewers- you know who you are! That last line my Ch.4 isn't supposed to mean anything dramatic or plot-changing, just what every dad faces when doing some DIY- spare parts! I still own nothing (I wonder if that's cos I only have $8.65 in my pocket?) ******__It's short but sweet (I hope)! Reviews? Anyone? Please...with a cherry on top? Just a reminder (for those people who actually read the summary for this fic)...the next few chapters are gonna get really sad. Like...REALLY depressing. Don't kill me if it isn't your average fairytale ending! You are all perfectly welcome to write a lovey-dovey ending if you wish. But for now:_

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It was 12:07 in the morning on the 1st October, 2038. Wilbur paced in front of the pale white hospital room door, nervously cracking his knuckles as he listened to the muffled cries of his mother inside, the soothing tone of his father and the calmly commanding voice of Doctor Osborne. Looking around, he was startled to see Art, Lucille, Gaston and Carl blocking the hallway as they too paced in tight circles. _Must be a Robinson thing, _he thought idly.

He stopped suddenly and squinted through the small window in the door as the noises grew louder. He pulled back in horror however, after seeing much more of his mother than he had hoped to witness in a lifetime. Ten excruciating minutes later, a frazzled Cornelius burst through the door the largest smile Wilbur had ever witnessed plastered onto his face.

"What are you lot waiting for?! Wilbur, come see your gorgeous baby sister!" He beamed, grabbing his son's shoulders and steering him into the room.

If Wilbur had thought his dad looked unkempt, it was nothing compared to his mother. Franny's usually glossy hair was bunched all around her pale face, sticking to the sides with sweat. Her mascara had run down her face from pain-filled tears, and she was breathing like she had just out-run a charging rhino. If not for the smile on her lips that rivalled her husbands' and the small bundle of blankets cradled in her arms, Wilbur could have believed that his mother had wrestled their pet dino, Tiny, to a standstill.

"Say hi to the newest Robinson, Wilbur," Cornelius grinned as Wilbur gently lifted the baby from his mother's hold. _She _is_ gorgeous_, he thought as he stared into the petite features of his sibling. She had been blessed with the same sparkling chocolate eyes Wilbur himself had inherited from Franny, and blonde, wispy curls decorated her forehead. Wilbur smiled at her gurgling lips, then turned to his exhausted mum with a questioning expression. She took it correctly, and whispered lovingly:

"Grace. Grace Louis Robinson."

Wilbur mulled this over in his head for exactly three seconds, before deeming it satisfactory. He liked how his parents had played on his father's orphan name 'Lewis' into a more feminine 'Louis.' His grandmother was almost bursting with excitement beside him, so he reluctantly passed the dozing child into her arms. Wilbur sqeezed himself out of the crowded room (he was slightly claustrophobic- not that he was ever going to tell anyone) and sat on a bench outside, Grace's small face imprinted on his mind and thoughts.

"You owe me fifty big ones, bucko." Wilbur looked up, startled, as his gaze rested on a very triumphant Cornelius. _What does fifty dollars matter to the richest guy in the country? _Wilbur grumbled as he reached into his back pocket. _Must be a pride thing._

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	6. Wil ba

_**A/N: Koninchiwa! If you haven't already guessed, I don't own MTR. This chapter is dedicated to my good friend Kyla, so...yeah. **_

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"Wil-ba."

Nothing.

"Come-on! Say it! Wil-ba."

Grace giggled and grabbed his nose with tiny fingers. She was only two months old, but Wilbur was dead-set _determined_ that his name was going to be hhisis baby sister's first word. Gently prising the digits off his nose, Wilbur sighed and lifted his small sibling from the cot and carried her into the living room where his parents were.

Grace's presence in the Robinson household had turned Wilbur's life around. He was no longer the centre of attention, and had almost kicked Grace the other day when the hottest girl in school had approched him in the shops- just to giggle and play with the extremely cute baby in his arms. After she had taken her fill of tiny Grace, she had left without saying even a 'goodbye' to Wilbur.

Cornelius and Franny took extra care to include their son in whatever they could, as the young teenager was often a nightmare whenever he got tetchy. One night he threw a 'wobbly' as Grandpa Bud called it, and threw his dinner at Frankie for singing a whole song dedicated to Grace. Frankie had never written a song about _Wilbur_. But Grace was soon back in his good books when she copied her brother and smeared her whole plate of baby food into Franny's hair. Wilbur smiled. That had been a good day.

The media had run a full story on the new addition to the family, and Wilbur had been interviewed upon leaving school one day. It just happened to be the very day that one extra-large pimple had planted itself on his handsome face, right on his nose. He had never had pimples before, and his very first just had to be shown to all of Todayland on the most popular news station that night. Cornelius had pitied him, and Wilbur didn't go to school until his pimple had packed its bags and left his nose three days later (after being smeared with the best pimple cream man could buy every hour). Wilbur sighed at the memory, and entered the living room while trying in vain to keep small hands away from his blemish-free face.

"Has she graduated into Advanced English yet?" Wilbur scowled at his mother. "I wouldn't be surprised if she had, the way you prattle on to her," Franny smirked, lifting one leg into the air on her yoga mat. She had almost regained her pre-pregnancy figure back, something the women in her music class often remarked upon in admiration.

Wilbur gently placed Grace into Cornelius' dozing lap, then quickly removed her after a moments' thought and sat her down next to Franny. His father was known for jumping up and sprinting to the lab whenever he had brilliant ideas, which for some odd reason came to him when he was asleep, and wasn't thinking too hard. This had caused a number of incidents, namely where the Robinson family found themselves in panic states after Franny woke up in the middle of the night with her husband missing.

Wilbur had made a smart move, for not more than 10 minutes later Cornelius woke with a start, mumbling equations as he took off at a run for his study. Wilbur was glued to Captain Time Travel on the holo-screen, and didn't notice Grace's frustrated cries until a rattle smacked his arm. Turning around, angry at having to miss a few seconds of his favourite show, Wilbur raised an eyebrow at the blonde in question.

"What now, whiny one?" It wasn't until Wilbur completed this sentence that his nostrils flared from a stench which could only mean one thing.

"Ugh, I'm willing to bet even _I_ didn't stink like _that_. Mu-um!" Wilbur picked Grace up by her armpits, and held her as far as possible in front of him as they walked over to Franny. Franny turned around when she heard her son, and had to supress a giggle. Wilbur's pose and facial expression could have compared to someone holding a bomb which would explode any second. Plastering a neutral expression on her face, she shook her head.

"No you don't. If you're going to be a father yourself someday, you have to learn these things," Franny admonished, folding her arms and raising one eyebrow at her son.

"What? You mean-" Wilbur's eyes widened in horror, and he promptly dropped his sister.

"_Grace!_" Thankfully her mother had the reflexes of Spiderman, from having to catch frogs all through her childhood. Catching the baby deftly, she glared at her firstborn son.

"That's it. There is _no way _you're getting out of it now. Even your father does it sometimes and doesn't carry on as much as you- it isn't _that_ bad. I'll watch," said a smug Franny, holding Grace out to a disgruntled Wilbur. Taking her, he refused to look at his mother as he marched into the nursery with his chin held high.

_It can't be all that gross if dad does it. Now what the heck do I do first?_ He thought as he placed his smelly sister onto the table. Wilbur refused to ask his mother for help; he knew she was standing in the doorway with another grin on her face. Grace had began to kick her legs, she was on the verge of tears and he knew it. Wilbur eyed the slightly bulging nappy. _Gotta get this thing off, I suppose..._

Holding his breath, Wilbur peeled apart the flaps, exposing his baby sisters botty and all that came with it. After a shocked pause:

"That is just...thoroughly _sick_...and..._revolting_...and..."

"The funniest thing I've seen in years?" Franny added, shaking with mirth at her son's expression.

"How can...just _one_...tiny person..."

"Would you believe that 'Wil-ba' was even worse?"

"...Nothing could be worse than this. Nothing."

"I beg to differ."

"Whatever," Wilbur muttered as he looked at the baby wipes, then at his sister.

"Isn't it like some kind of sexual abuse if I touch her there?" Wilbur asked his mother hopefully. "Cos there is_ no way _that I am gonna even _try_ to clean up that...mess." Franny crossed the room and shoved the baby wipes into his hands.

"Sorry, sweetheart. Life isn't a bunch of roses and a lifetime ticket to Todayland's Adventure Park." Wilbur pulled a few of the wipes from the box and squinted at a very annoyed Grace.

"You couldn't be more right."

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_**Yes, I know that in 30 or so yeas their is probably a more conventional nappy around that the Robinsons would use, but I wanted to see Wilbur squirm. LOL! And for those wondering why I keep putting off the depressing bits I've promised...disaster strikes the Robinsons in the next chapter! Reviews rock my world (especially the nice, long ones) so if I could direct you to that small button on the bottom, left-hand side of the page... ;D**_


	7. BOOM

**_A/N: Hi-diddily-ho, neigbourino! I don't own any-diddily-thing, got-diddily-it? Hehe. This is for my friend Stingo! Read on..._**

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Cornelius huffed and puffed his way up the stairs and into his laboratory, and rested against the wall for a few seconds while he regained his breath._ I really needed to work out more, _he resolved. _There should be no reason why I pant like a dog after running from the living room to here_. After wiping his glasses on his lab coat, Cornelius sat down at his desk and rubbed the back of his neck thoughtfully.

The idea for this particular invention had occurred to him after when he went through some packing boxes in the basement, and re-discovered his old Star-Wars collection. Wilbur, after watching the movies with interest, had taken to swinging sticks around the backyard and duelling with Carl- something which annoyed his mother no end. He had jokingly asked his father if he could have a _real _Lightsaber. Cornelius had eyed his son, contemplating for a full minute before nodding his head and heading for his study- leaving a very shocked Wilbur staring after him, stick dangling at his side.

The measurements he had needed to complete his new invention had evaded him for hours last night, as he tried to think of a way for the circuits to broadcast a particular frequency. The answer had come to him not minutes ago while he was dozing- it had always happened like that, for reasons unknown to him.

Cornelius searched through his drawers and pulled out the small wired device he was seeking. For the next two hours he adjusted his device to suit the perfect paramaters he needed for the Lightsaber. If there was just _one _small anomaly...Cornelius suppressed a shudder. After another hour he was completely satisfied with his work, and picked up the handheld rod to install it.

So fixed upon his invention that he didn't notice Wilbur slip in quietly through the door and close it with a very soft _click! _Wilbur had just finished scrubbing his hands raw after changing Grace's diaper, and he was convinced that the smell was _still_ lingering on him, despite using about half a can of deoderant. Carl had literally shut down in the corridor when he walked past Wilbur's room, and it took Aunt Billie 15 minutes to screw his nose attachment back into place when she found him. Wilbur had come up to ask his father if he _did_ change Grace's nappy like Franny said he did all the time, but instead became fascinated by his dad's latest project. He sidled up behind his father, and looked over his shoulder at the Lightsaber with interest. Cornelius still had not noticed him, despite the overpowering smell wafting from his son.

"Whatcha doin' dad?"

_Tink._

"SHI-"

_BOOM._

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_5 minutes earlier..._

Franny put down her conductors baton and stretched her arms tiredly, while Frankie sang one of her old favourites- 'Sweet Home Alabama.' This was the song she and Cornelius had first danced to together, at a school concert. She smiled and closed her eyes, spinning in a circle with her arms wrapped around herself. Lost in her own little world, it came as quite a surprise when her big, masculine brother spoke right into her ear.

"Dinner's ready, sis," Art said in a sing-song voice. She opened her eyes and shoved his chest as hard as she could muster, annoyed at being interrupted.

"Oooh, that felt nice. Think you could do my back for me? It's been acting up all week." She glared at him. "...Or not. Is Grace asleep?" Art inquired. Franny's anger immediately disappeared at the mention of her daughter.

"Yes, but she needs to be fed anyways. Come on, she's the cutest thing when she's asleep." They walked together down the hallway, Franny trying in vain to ignore her brother's snide comments about her dancing. She pushed open the nursery door and walked into the sunshine yellow room, picking her way through the scattered toys on the floor. Reaching her destination, she smiled down at the beautiful baby girl, who was currently lying on her side with her thumb resting beside her lips. Blonde curls framed her delicate face, and Art whistled softly as he stopped next to the crib.

"You're absolutely right. She's gonna be a real beauty." Franny smiled at him and reached down, scooping Grace into her arms. Franny frowned at how cold and limp Grace felt, and touched her pale forehead softly.

"Franny? What's wrong?"

"I-I don't know-"

_BOOM._

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**_Repeat after me: cliffhangers are cool! Btw, the StarWars idea was totally random, don't ask how my brain works...It can't handle simple questions. Reviews, pretty please? Special thanks to ButterscotchWM for her lovely reviews, read her stuff- it rocks!!! XD_**


	8. Lifeless

**_A/N: Only the good die young. And after you have read this, you will know for sure that I am very, very evil. Therefore, shooting me isn't going to work. I'm sorry. Please review! _**

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_BOOM._

The sound echoed throughout the house, making everyone jump. It had almost certainly come from the laboratory. Franny forgot about Grace's condition for a few seconds, and sprinted to the intercom next to the door.

"Cornelius! Are you OK? Please- answer me!"

Nothing.

Franny bit her bottom lip and hugged the very limp Grace tightly as the silence stretched on for another 30 seconds. Art wrapped an arm around her as tears leaked from her eyes. Suddenly, the intercom crackled and a different voice came through:

"Mum, it's me."

"Wilbur? Where are you?"

"In the lab-"

"The lab?! What happened? Where's your father?"

"Well...dad was playing around with the Lightsaber and I scared him. The whole kinda blew up-"

"What do you mean, _kinda_? You know better than to scare your father when he's working-"

"Mum! Listen to me! I said kinda because there wasn't flames and stuff like what happens when a grenade goes off. It was like...some kind of...massive...electical wave. Nothings working in here. Might be radiation, I'm no expert at these kind of things-"

"_Wilbur!"_

"What? Lucky I had shut the door, or the whole house could have been hit-"

"Wilbur- where's Cornelius?!"

"Oh. That...is an excellent question. Be right back."

Franny growled into the intercom, tapping her foot impatiently as the pause grew. Finally-

"He's unconscious. I think a bit of the 'saber must have hit his head when it blew up, because there's a heck of a lotta blood coming from near his ear." Franny whimpered.

"Can we come in?"

"I'm sure dad wouldn't allow it...the place is still crackling. What if..." he paused, obviously thinking.

"Yes?"

"Well...what if you got a couple of doctors to come in here, wearing hazmat suits? It couldn't hurt...until dad wakes up we still don't know what's going on." Art nodded as if this made sense, and raced out of the room- presumably to make a phonecall or two.

Franny told Wilbur to stay with Cornelius, then sat down with her legs folded and back against the nursery wall. Rocking Grace gently, she closed her eyes and waited for the nightmare to end. It had only been 10 minutes ago that she had fetched Grace for dinner- how much things had changed since then. A sudden thought struck her and her eyes shot open- Grace hadn't actually _cried- _or _moved- _since Franny lifted her from the crib. Shifting curls of blonde hair out of the way, Franny examined the baby's face. Her usually olive skin was very pale, her small eyes remained closed, and her chest wasn't rising and falling. Franny gasped and held her ear close to the petite mouth, hoping for the usual, slow breathing noises or the tickle of air against her skin. She was thoughourly dissapointed.

Franny stared at her dead daughter, and it suddenly became too much. She fainted, arms still wrapped protectively around the lifeless infant.

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	9. Hazmats

_**A/N: I'm on a roll now...this is the third chapter I've posted today! Wow. Pleeeease R R!**_

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Doctor Osborne finished bandaging Cornelius' head and was packing away his equipment when the man came to. Cornelius rubbed his extremely sore cranium and groaned groggily.

"Lightsaber...wires...head...hurts...Wilbur...WILBUR!" Sitting up and suddenly alert, Cornelius scanned the lab for his son. Dr. Osborne pushed him gently back onto the floor, giving him a stern glance.

"Mr. Robinson, your son is fine. You are in no condition to go anywhere in a hurry, so I would advise you to take it easy until I give you the a-okay." Cornelius glared at him, and continued his search for his son before doing a double take. Everyone in the room was in hazmat suits. In the few seconds it took for his brain to process this, he understood what must have happened.

For the laser beam to work, there was a high level of radiation that needed to be contained within the beam. Wilbur had interrupted him while he was in the middle of calibrating the beam's parameters, and he must have accidentely reversed the radiation's concentration- sending it outwards at an extreme velocity. Thus the explosion. But that didn't matter now- Cornelius was just thankful that they were both alive, thanks to some built-in safety precautions in the 'saber.

Sighing, Cornelius slumpt backwards and shut his eyes, his head throbbing. _What possible reason would Wilbur have to just wander into my lab and startle me like that? It better be good, that's for sure._

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_I better come up with a good explanation, and quick, _thought a frantic Wilbur on the other side of the room. After seeing his father wake up, Wilbur had hidden behind a large, bubble-shaped invention in a corner to escape his dad's wrath. _Wait a minute! _Wilbur thought as he poked his head around the machinery. _If I go over and talk to dad _now_, there is no way he can bust me in front of other people!_ He smiled mischieviouslyand made his way over to his semi-conscious father.

"Dad, um-"

"You're grounded."

"What?"

"You're grounded until end of term, no exceptions."

"But- but you haven't even heard my excuse yet!" There was a pause.

"I'm listening." Wilbur shifted his feet uneasily. Time for some quick-thinking.

"Right. Well. I had just finished changing Grace's diaper-"

"You don't have an excuse, do you?" Another pregnant pause.

"...that...is an excellent question." Cornelius raised one eyebrow at his son.

"...one that I do not have an answer for."

"I thought so."

"Will saying sorry help?"

"I don't think that's gonna cut it, son."

"I'm really, really, _really _sorry?" Cornelius shook his head, then grunted in pain. Wilbur winced slightly, and walked over to the intercom.

"Mum? Dad's gonna be fine."

Silence. Wilbur frowned- he thought that his mother would be anxious for news.

"Mum?"

His hand left the button, and he listened closely for a minute. Nothing. He made as if to walk over to the Travel Tube, until Dr. Osborne grabbed his upper arm.

"Oh no you don't. You and your father have each contracted a small amount of radiation poisoning. Not enough to be harmful, as far as we can tell, but enough for you both to stay here until it dies down."

"Huh?"

"You'll be in here for a minimum of two months, give or take a week or so."

"Two _months?!" _

"Sorry, mate. It's the best I can do."

"_Two months_..." Wilbur murmured, staring blankly at the floor. Doctor Osborne patted his shoulder sympathetically, and moved off to spill this information with Cornelius. Sitting down in a heap, he watched in a daze as the hazmat men packed up their equipment and left via the Travel Tubes. Once they had all gone, he remained in his position as the doctor de-activated the Tube from outside the room. Cornelius slowly got up and made his way over to his son.

"Well."

"Yeah."

"I think this is punishment enough, what do you think?"

"Being stuck in a boring room with only my dad for company for two months? I think you're right."

"I'm not that bad. Besides, you're thinking of it the wrong way. Imagine- _I_ have to be stuck with _you_, with a sore head and a room full of my own inventions that aren't working- due to your carelessness! This could be night-mare material."

"Har-di-har-har. Very funny. How the heck do we get food?"

"Franny and Carl will send it through the Travel Tubes at meal-times. I dunno where we're gonna sleep, though...we'll pile up blankets I guess."

"Fantastic."

"At least you won't have to change Grace's diaper anymore."

"Good point. That reminds me of something..." Wilbur said as he crossed back over to the intercom.

"Mum?"

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Doctor Osborne had nearly made it to the gates before he was hailed by Laszlo, who flew out of the house at breakneck speed.

"Wait! Something's happened!" He called frantically, and the doctor turned grimly to face the young man. He sighed. About 75 of his wages came from treating the Robinson family, which made him wonder for a second if it was a good thing for him that someone was always in trouble here.

"Very well. Where and what happened?" Osborne asked, as he hurried back into the building, Laszlo hot on his heels.

"It's Franny and Grace, upstairs in the nursery. We think...well...we're pretty sure that Grace is dead." This caused the Doctor to stop for a second, as Grace was a perfectly healthy baby. Brows furrowed, and sped up and pushed through the gathered group huddled outside the door. Tallulah was sobbing hysterically against Aunt Billie, and the rest weren't exactly dry-eyed, either. The doctor eyed the motionless couple on the floor, and deduced that he couldn't do anything for Grace, so he knelt down beside Franny. After figuring she was just suffering from shock, Osborne asked Art and Gaston to carry her to her room. Just as he was going to examine Grace more carefully, a timid voice patched through the intercom.

"Mum?"

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_**I got the whole radiation idea from what Wilbur said in doodlegirll's story 'The School Report' (the chapter is called Suz128). Read it- it's well worth it! Reviews, my lovelies :)**_


	10. Half a nerd

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Everyone slowly turned around to face the intercom, and Gaston shook his head sadly as he and Art carried the unconscious Franny into her room. Lucille slowly walked up to the speaker as Wilbur continued to call.

"Mum? Why won't you answ-"

"Wilbur, it's me."

"Grandma? Where did mum go?"

"She...well..."

"She what?"

"...she fainted."

"_Fainted?_ Why?"

"Wilbur...is Cornelius there?"

"Yeah, but-"

"Please, Wilbur."

"Why not? What happened?" Lucille sighed softly into the speaker.

"Fine. Be that way. But dad better tell me what's going on, or I'll-" he was interrupted as Cornelius came into the conversation, and he could be heard ordering Wilbur away.

"Hey, mum. What's going on? I heard Wilbur say something about Franny-"

"Cornelius...Grace is dead."

"What?"

"I said...Grace...is dead."

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Wilbur watched sulkily from the desk as Lucille's voice said something quietly to his father. Surprisingly, it made Cornelius stand rock still for quite a while, making Wilbur wonder if he was having some kind of fit. Just as Wilbur was on the verge of leaving his seat to see if his dad was OK, Cornelius sat down heavily against the wall, drawing his knees to his chest. Wilbur watched in shock as the founder of the future pressed his head against his knees, hands gripping his blonde, spiky hair as he started to shake. Wilbur raced over to him and got on his hands and knees, trying to get a glimpse of Cornelius' face. Leaping up, he jammed his fist against the intercom.

"Grandma! What did you _say _to him? Even _I _can't get him to cry like that!"

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Voices tried and failed to filter through Cornelius' mind. He knew that his mother was deadly serious, which made it even harder to bear. He didn't even know _how _his tiny, darling daughter had died- not that it really mattered. She was still dead. He wondered idly how Franny had found out, and miserably slammed his hands against the unforgiving floor as he realised that they couldn't comfort each other -other than _over the intercom_- for another 2 months. Wiping at stray tears angrily, he refused to look up until Wilbur started shouting one-syllable questions at Lucille at a furious pace.

"_WHAT_? DEAD? HOW? WHEN? WHY? WHO? TELL ME!"

Eyes red and puffy for the very first time in his life, Cornelius sighed into his arms- just audiable enough for his son to hear him. Wilbur hesitated, then muttered an apology into the speaker and walked slowly over to his dad. Joining him on the floor, Wilbur leaned against his father as Cornelius' arms wrapped around his only child.

"She's really gone...isn't she?" Wilbur choked out suddenly, and buried his head into the comfort of his dad's chest. Sucking in deep, uneven breaths, Cornelius tightened his grip on the boy, and bit his lower lip to stop himself from sobbing.

They stayed that way all night.

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_One week later._

Franny and Cornelius had spent roughly three hours over the intercom the morning after Grace's death. Carl handed out earplugs, and Franny made sure the whole family were wearing them. Wilbur opted to sleep in under his pile of blankets until his parents had somewhat finished their emotional outbursts.

After a long and depressing call with Doctor Osborne, Franny was told that Grace had suffered from SIDS- Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, also known as cot death. Knowing that their baby girl had passed away in her sleep had only slightly eased the woman's troubles, and Cornelius had another hell of a night when it was explained to him.

Cornelius currently sat at his desk, slowly turning over the remains of the Lightsaber in his hands. Wilbur saw this, and hurriedly tried to get his mind on a lighter subject- or at least, something he wasn't the cause of. Wilbur had driven his father mad over the last week, breaking inventions of all sizes with his Chargeball glove as he tried to ward off boredom and depression. Chucking a pillow in his dad's direction, he called out:

"So, what do you actually _do _in here?" Cornelius raised an eyebrow.

"You mean, besides the blatantly obvious."

"Yeah."

"Nothing." This caused Wilbur to raise an eyebrow of his own.

"You don't do _anything _in here besides invent? Sheesh. What a nerd."

"You have inherited half of my genes, you know. That would make you at least half a nerd."

"That's not the point."

"Then what _is _the point, Wilbur?" Cornelius asked, slightly impatient.

"The point is, we have nothing to do in here except mope around. Which we do enough anyway."

Cornelius mulled this over for a minute, then made a decision. Getting up, he shimmied down a side ladder into the storage area for his lab. Wilbur curiously listened from upstairs as he heard his father's unhurried movements and boxes being moved around. Emerging from the small room, Cornelius held a rather dusty, black and white electric guitar in his left hand, and an old CD case in the other. Wilbur grinned and leapt for the 'ancient' instrument, but his father was having none of it. Lifting it high above his head, he waited until Wilbur's snatching attempts died down.

"Finished?"

Wilbur grunted and sat back down, glaring at his father for ruining his fun.

"This was my 18th birthday present from Bud, believe it or not. He said that such a talented musician like Franny shouldn't go out with a man who had absolutely _no _talent for the subject himself," Cornelius explained. "He taught me, but mostly I just taught myself. I...wrote a song for Franny once when we were going through a rocky period, but she never heard it," he muttered, blushing. "She doesn't know it, but I borrowed her frog band a few nights for a week and recorded the other instruments in the song on this CD," he said, fishing one from the pile. Wilbur was fascinated.

"Can you sing?" Cornelius blushed an ever darker shade of red, and rubbed the back of his neck.

"Um, yeah...a bit...no one knows though," he added, casting a stern glance at his son.

"Don't worry, your secret is safe with me. For now," Wilbur muttered the last part inder his breath, hiding a grin. _Mission accomplished. He's not thinking about Grace, or this mess I got us into. And we might _finally _have some fun! _Sitting down, Cornelius started tuning his guitar as Wilbur demanded:

"Play your song for me!"

"No."

"Why not? If it's all mushy and lovey dovey stuff I withdraw the question."

"Unfortunately for Franny, I'm not really that kind of guy and you know it."

"Well what's the problem then?" Cornelius sighed.

"The fact that I haven't played this song in 20 years doesn't bother you at all?"

"20 years?! Wow. You're prehistoric, old man."

"My self-esteem really loves you."

"Who doesn't? C'mon, dad! You can teach me it!"

"Why don't you learn something else? What's so good about _my _song?"

"The fact that you refuse to tell me it."

Cornelius seemed to have some kind of internal struggle for a minute, before uttering a single "Fine. Give me a few minutes." Wilbur nodded eagerly and got up, heading for the storage ladder. After poking around in all the boxes for any other instruments and/or strange surprises, Wilbur returned to his spot next to his dad. After inserting his CD into an old stereo, Cornelius glanced at Wilbur, then cleared his throat nervously as he strummed a few bars.

"No laughing."

Wilbur shrugged. "No guarantees."

Sighing for what felt like the hundredth time that day, Cornelius hit the 'play' button on the stereo and softly began to play.

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**_A/N: I officially declare that anyone who writes reviews (especially to this story) are absolute legends. Worthy of superhero type medals, etc. So join your local Avengers today, and hit that button in the corner!!!_**


	11. Headbangers

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Wilbur grinned delightedly as he ripped off the christmas wrapping paper. Inside was a brand new, modernised version of Cornelius' guitar, with in-built amplifiers and a customised lightning-bolt symbol stamped on the side. He turned his trademark quirky smile onto his father, who sat next to him on his pile of blankets in the laboratory. Both wore multiple jumpers and blankets against the cold, as the radioactivity in the room affected the heaters. Snow was just beginning to build up around the edges of the dome, and the degrees were dropping by the hour. But even the chilly air wasn't enough to stop Wilbur from ecstatically strumming a few off-key notes. Cornelius winced, and reached over to flip the auto-tuning switch. They still had just over a month to go, but Wilbur had already broken 2 of his father's guitar strings from enthusiasm. To replace the strings (and buy Wilbur his own guitar), Cornelius had been forced to write a note for Lucille, including the list of things needed and a money order. It had been delivered when Carl opened the Travel Tube for breakfast a week ago.

Wilbur had (for reasons unknown to Cornelius) taken a huge liking to his song, and insisted on being taught the part of the lead guitarist. Cornelius had therefore spent a good portion of his time awake teaching his son what he needed to know. He guessed that the lessons were his son's way of dealing with the death of his sister, and he was also grateful for the reprieve. Wilbur had also insisted that Franny should be kept in the dark about their musical 'talent', and wanted to spring the song on her when she least expected it. 'For optimum dramatic effect,' Wilbur had reasoned when Cornelius had raised his eyebrows in question.

Cornelius' smile faltered when he thought of Franny. From what he could gather, she was a miserable wreck. They still had their talks over the intercom, but he was getting increasingly frustrated with the limited comfort that his voice over the machine offered to his wife.

Grace's funeral had been a fortnight before, broadcast throughout Todayland. A portable, battery-powered holo-screen had been delivered to the lab for the event, and the sight of the miniature, pale pink coffin had Cornelius in fits of tears. Wilbur shuddered whenever his mind wandered to that day. Forcibly bringing himself back to the present, Cornelius watched his son's expression as his eyes glided over the guitar.

"Wow..." Wilbur was examining every inch of his new instrument.

"I'm guessing that you like it," Cornelius smiled.

"No kidding." Wilbur grabbed his music sheet from underneath his jacket and began to play the first few bars of their song. Cornelius closed his eyes and hummed along as the familiar tune wafted throughout the room. Wilbur had been duly impressed with his father's singing abilities, though he didn't intend to sing himself. When asked why, Wilbur had muttered something which sounded suspiciously about boys voices' and puberty, then changed the subject. Smirking, Cornelius had adopted an incredibly high-pitched voice for the rest of the day- until his son smacked him upside the head with a pillow. Reaching over to the wall where his own guitar was propped up, Cornelius settled comfortably into the blankets as he turned on the stereo.

"You ready, I take it?"

"Yep."

"OK, then..." he mumbled, as the music hummed through the speakers.

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Franny sighed sadly as she walked past her husband's lab on her way to the living room, arms full of Christmas presents. This was her first Christmas without waking up to Cornelius' arms wrapped around her waist, his head resting comfortably in the crook of her neck...Wilbur's pounding at their bedroom door to get up...Franny's soft smile turned upside down as she realised that Grace never spent a single Christmas in the Robinson household. Stopping these thoughts sharply for a second, she pressed her ear against the blast doors and listened carefully. She could have _sworn _that she heard music...shaking her head, Franny remembered that her music room was just down the hallway, and the two men in her life didn't have a single musical bone in their bodies. Smiling at the thought of Cornelius head-banging, she continued thoughtfully on her way to the ruckus in the living room.

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**_A/N: Hope you liked. All my reviewers are head-banging rockstars like Cornelius!!! Lol._**


	12. Pins and Needles

**_A/N: Sorry about taking so long to get these up! Forgive lazy old me?_**

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Cornelius grinned over at his son as the doctor took a blood sample. Wilbur pulled a rotten face at Mr. Osborne as the needle glinted, millimeters from his arm. Tensing up and turning his head, Wilbur swore under his breath as the needle sank deep into his bloodstream. He _hated _needles. Always had, always would. Cornelius chuckled quietly at the stupid expression on Wilbur's face, as the hazmat-clad medics slid the blood samples into one of their many medical machines. After a long two minutes of awkward silence, a single _beep_ emitted from the small device and the doctor examined his findings carefully. Smiling, he turned to face the two anxious Robinsons, and gave a single nod.

"_YES!_" Wilbur cried, punching the air as Cornelius sighed in relief. The tests had checked out OK, and tomorrow they would be able to leave the laboratory, as all radioactive particles in their bodies had diminished. It had been a very long, very tiring eight weeks, and both were longing for proper beds and showers.

Wilbur swore that if hadn't been for his new electric guitar to keep him occupied, he would have been considered a mental case long before their radioactivity had disappeared. Cornelius, on the other hand, couldn't wait to hold his wife for the first time since Grace died. Wilbur hadn't been very comforting on that front, and had awkwardly patted his father on the back when he went into hysterics on the night of his baby's funeral.

Cornelius hugged Wilbur tightly as the Doctor Osborne retrieved all his equipment, then he walked over to the main power unit on the west wall of the laboratory. Pulling down the lever, he grinned happily as all his inventions (that hadn't yet been broken by Wilbur) hummed and whirred into life.

Taking off his glasses and cleaning them on his shirt, he watched a blurry Wilbur pick up his guitar and place it carefully in its case, which he had decorated with hundreds of Captain Time Travel stickers. Sliding it into an old cupboard that no one would notice, Wilbur longingly stared at it as Cornelius followed suit with his older model. The doctor threw them a confused look as he was sucked up the Tube, arms crammed with equipment. Picking up and folding some blankets, Cornelius had to agree with Mr. Osborne. The Robinsons _were _a pretty strange family, after all.

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It was early morning, and Cornelius impatiently ran his hand through his stubborn hair as Carl removed the door locks on the other side. Wilbur was jumping up and down beside him, giving the impression that he badly needed to use the toilet. Cornelius rolled his eyes at his son, and a slightly embarrassed Wilbur ceased his actions. Suddenly, the door was flung open wide for the first time in 2 months, and both men were immediately seized by family members. Their rather prominent odour from lack of proper shower facilies didn't put anyone off, and Wilbur was almost crushed by his Uncle Art's bearhug.

"You're alive!"

"How's it going, little buddy?"

"You need a haircut, it's getting so long-"

"You're both so skinny, I made your favourites for tea-"

"Let him breathe, Art! He's going purple!"

"That's just your new contacts, dear."

"Is it? That would explain why I thought our pancakes were poisoned."

"You're so grown up!"

"It's only been two weeks, Lucille!"

Wilbur laughed once he regained his breath, and drank in the sight of his large and eccentric family. He never thought that the time would come when he was happy _just_ to see their faces again. Looking over at his parents, he was surprised to see them _not_ kissing, just gripping each other tightly as Franny buried her head in her husband's chest and shook slightly. Cornelius rested his chin on top of her smooth head, eyes closed and running his hands soothingly up and down Franny's back. Wilbur turned away from their 'private' moment, and beamed at the rest of the family (who were also pointedly not looking at the couple).

Cornelius tilted his head downwards to look his beautiful wife in the eye. She had worry lines creasing her forehead, and dark circles rimmed her chocolate eyes, giving Franny a depressed and tired look. Ignoring his relatives not 2 meters away, Cornelius gently hooked his finger under her chin and raised her face to his, meeting her lips in a tender kiss as his hands lightly cupped her face, expressing his love for her in the simplist possible way. Franny's heart repaired itself and promptly melted, and she wrapped her arms around his neck as she stood on tiptoes to return the kiss.

"Ahem."

Franny looked down at an irritated Wilbur, who raised an eyebrow at her expectantly. Blinking, she mouthed a sympathetic 'later' to her husband as she wrapped her arms around the boy's shoulders.

"How could I forget _you_? I've missed you something terrible, honey. However, I can't say I missed all the broken furniture that accompanies you and your Chargeball glove." She kissed his forehead, and Wilbur wiped off the slight lipstick mark the way all kids do.

"Ugh, thanks, mum."

"You're welcome sweetie. You know, I'm surprised your father hasn't been driven crazy, stuck in a room with only you for company for eight weeks!"

"I tried, believe me, I tried."

"He sure did," Cornelius mumbled, messing up Wilbur's perfect ebony hair.

"So what did you boys do for fun?"

Cornelius thought over the many tiring hours of guitar-playing.

"Uh..."

"Sudoku?" Wilbur offered. Cornelius spared a funny look at his son, then shrugged at Franny. She laughed, and Lucille pinched Wilbur's cheek lovingly.

Wilbur huffed in annoyance, and began running in the direction of his bedroom, calling over his shoulder as he went:

"Great to see you all again and stuff, but I've got an urgent date with my Chargeball game!"

"Nice try, little buddy," Carl admonished, gripping Wilbur by the shoulder with his extendable arms. "But if you haven't noticed, you and Mr. Robinson don't exactly smell like a bunch of roses. I suggest a good long shower before you do _anything _else." Wilbur flushed slightly as the other Robinsons nodded in agreement, and his mother steered them both in the direction of the nearest bathroom (there were 8 in all). Swiping Wilbur on the bum, Franny smiled and raised an eyebrow at her son while crossing her arms, as if daring him to argue. Cornelius sniffed at his armpit with a sour expression on his face.

"Geez! You actually _hugged _me, Franny? While I smelt like _this_?"

"The things I do for our marriage. Shoo, both of you," she smiled, as father and son made their sheepish way down the corridor. After a minute, Cornelius looked back over his shoulder for any eavesdroppes.

"Well, I don't think she suspects anything. But _Sudoku_?"

"What? I couldn't think of anything else!"

"Yes, Wilbur, but..."

"But what?"

Cornelius sighed. "Nothing. So, the Todayland concert? That's only a week away, if you think you're ready."

"Yep."

"You sure? Have you ever been in front of a huge crowd before? It's quite nerve-wracking."

"Why are you asking me? You're the one that's going to be _singing_."

"Am I that bad?"

Wilbur laughed, and grabbed a towel from the pile.

OoOoOoOoO

**_Wilbur in a towel...aaah. LOL. Please review!_**


	13. Showtime!

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Wilbur scuffed his black Converse shoes on the floor nervously. It was New Year's Eve, and the Robinson family had decided to treat themselves with a visit to the live Todayland concert. No one except Wilbur, Cornelius and a few stagehands knew how 'live' this concert would get for them. Cornelius had dropped off their guitars and their music CD backstage a few hours ago, on his way home from work. They were both sporting faded blue jeans, and black long-sleeved dress shirts. It was one of those rare moments when Wilbur saw his dad in something other than a lab coat, and he had to grudgingly admit his dad looked alright.

Cornelius had been muttering to himself the whole drive to the concert, and Franny had repeatedly asked if he was OK, to which he replied every time, "Fine, honey." Wilbur smoothed his hair down for the 12th time in five minutes, as the whole family waited patiently to pass the security guards outside.

"Hey, handsome," Tallulah playfully winked as she passed him, and he blushed furiously. Not that he fancied her- Wilbur shuddered slightly, as he thought of having a relationship with a cousin 4 years older than him. That would be almost as complicated as hanging out with his 12-year-old father in the past. But the fact remained that the only woman who had ever called him h_andsome_ before was his own mother. But he was glad for the comment- he knew some of the pretty girls from his class were coming tonight, and he wanted to be as cool as possible. _Well, _he thought, _as cool as any teen can be while playing a song his dad wrote 20 years ago while his old man sings in front of a few thousand people. Yep...this is gonna be great._

Similar thoughts were running through our favourite inventor's brain that very second. _I'm gonna be a laughing stock! _Cornelius thought frantically. _And the only opinion I've had of my singing and lyric-writing abilities is by my only son, who was trying to cheer me up at the time I showed him. But he _did _want to learn the song, didn't he? You're here now, so let's just do it and keep moving forward. Oh, shut up, brain. _Cornelius rubbed his eyes, the new contacts he had developed (for this very night) were slightly irritating. Franny had loved the look though, and said it took years off his already youthful face. He smiled, and hoped his wife would apprieciate the song and what her boys were trying to do.

Half an hour later, Cornelius regretted his decision to be the last on the program. The nerves were killing him. One look at Wilbur and the same could be said for him. Cornelius squeezed Franny's hand and tried his best to listen to the band currently onstage. He loved these Todayland concerts, anyone could come along and play if they wanted to (they had to book ahead, it was that popular)- but risked being made a fool in front of the large crowds. Resisting the urge to look at his watch, he sat back in his chair and rubbed the back of his neck out of sheer habit, electro music pulsing throughout the stadium. Wilbur glanced at his dad from his position over the railing where he had been yelling at the band, and sat next to him after a moment's consideration, leaning his head against Cornelius' shoulder.

Franny smiled at the two of them; they had obviously grown a lot closer during their long stay in the laboratory. It was so nice to wake up next to her warm husband again, and even Wilbur had his nice qualities. She and Cornelius rarely talked about Grace, but it was clear that she was on both of their minds more often then they cared to say. Franny sighed sadly and gripped her husbands arm, watching Petunia tell off her children for whistling too loudly.

OoOoOoOoO

Wilbur went through all the bars of their song in his mind, realising that if he thought he was nervous _now_, it was unlikely to be anything compared to when he was actually _onstage_. Swallowing, he checked his watch discreetly. Almost time to get backstage. The three hours had slid by slowly, and he was almost shivering with anticipation. He made a decision, and got up.

"I'm going to find the loo, be right back." Wilbur was proud that his voice didn't crack. He realised now that he probably _should _go to the toilet, as he was about to wet his pants as it was. Casting a furtive glance at his dad on the way out of the box seating, he pushed through crowds at a hurried pace. _There's nothing cool about wetting yourself onstage._

10 minutes later, Cornelius couldn't take it anymore.

"I need to use the bathroom as well, and dig up Wilbur from somewhere if possible," he told his wife, making his way swiftly out the door and down a few flights of stairs. The fast beat of the pop music playing had him all keyed up, and he ran straight into his son who was lurking around the stairwell.

"Wilbur!"

"Dad! Where do we go?"

"Follow me." Cornelius grabbed the boy's arm and led him around the edge of the crowd to set of security guards near the stage. The noise around them was deafening, and Wilbur could only just make out a few words said between the men. One of the guards performed a brief search with a scanner (provided by our favourite inventor), before admitting them into a dark room full of band equipment. Doors led off everywhere, and the stage entry was to their left. A man with a ponytail approched them, staring at the transparent holo-screen held in one hand.

"Cornelius and Wilbur Robinson?"

"That's us."

"You've got 15 minutes, I suggest you start tuning." The man walked away, leaving Wilbur staring up at his dad.

"So...where's our gear?"

"To quote you, that is an excellent question."

The search didn't take long however, as the equipment seemed to be in the order from the program. Wilbur calmed down at the sight of his CTT guitar case, and ran a hand smoothly along the handle and down the side. Cornelius didn't stop for anything of the kind, as his guitar needed to be tuned by hand. Finishing quickly, Cornelius sat down with his shaking hands holding his head. Wilbur saw this, and silently moved over to his dad.

"Hey."

Cornelius looked up. "Wilbur...you ready?"

"Yeah. You?"

Cornelius dropped his head down again and shrugged. "I don't even know where to begin answering that question."

"It'll be fine! Who cares what the crowd thinks, we're only doing this for mum's benefit!"

"That doesn't disguise the fact that there's another 5000 people on the other side of that stage."

"Oi! I'm already nervous enough as it is!"

Cornelius laughed and pulled his son up. The ponytail guy was back, looking at his watch. The other stagehands were beginning to clean up already, this was the last song of the show. Cornelius and Wilbur gripped their guitars nervously as the audience applauded the band coming off, 'Pain Season.' _Who comes up with them dumb titles? _Wilbur thought distractedly, as he mounted the scaffold steps...

OoOoOoOoO

**_Mwa ha ha! No reading further until you've hit that button in the corner labeled 'Submit Review.' Got it? )_**


	14. Silence

**_A/N: I don't own Rob Thomas' song 'Little Wonders', but if you haven't heard it, look it up NOW!_**

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Franny looked at her watch impatiently. The concert was almost over, and Cornelius and Wilbur had both dissapeared about 20 minutes ago to use the 'facilities'. Apparently.

"Fran, we're all set to go. Where are the boys?" Lucille asked.

"Absolutely no idea."

"Well they had better hurry up or get caught in the crowds, hadn't they?"

Franny sighed. Cornelius was probably wrenching Wilbur away from those girls he had been talking about, so she looked around her for anything they could have missed. The band onstage was walking off to loud applause, and she only half-listened as the announcer yelled:

"_How did you like that, Todayland!! You'll certainly be hearing the 'Pain Season' again, that's for sure! Last but not least on our program is a most unexpected couple, but I'm sure you all know them...Cornelius and Wilbur Robinson!"_

Franny's head shot up like a bullet. She _must _have heard him wrong. Seeing her relatives' similar reactions to the announcement, she joined them in leaning over the box seat railing to squint at the stage. Slapping her forehead, she turned to the wall-size holo-screen that projected images of the platform. She gasped audibly and swayed on the spot when her husband and son both indeed stepped out to the crowd's murmuring. _They can't even play guitar! _Franny thought frantically. _What are they doing?!_

OoOoOoOoO

_What am I doing?_ Cornelius thought as he slowly walked over to the suspended microphones in the middle of the stage. He glanced over his shoulder for support, but Wilbur looked like a deer caught in the headlights as he clutched his guitar. Cornelius felt like he should say something to the whispering masses. His hand unconsciously wandered up to where his glasses would be, as if to clean them, until he caught himself.

"Uh, hi. Um...I'm pretty sure no one here knows we have any musical talent, but I guess we had to do _something _while stuck in that lab. This song I wrote is for my wife, Franny...in uh recognition of recent events." The people in the crowd with more than a handful of brain cells realised that he was talking about Grace. Cornelius glanced up in the direction of the box he knew his wife was, and smiled sadly.

Taking a deep breath and clearing his throat, he nodded to a stagehand off the side of the stage. Soft music began to filter in throughout the stadium, and Cornelius watched Wilbur stare at the crowds, missing his intro. Cornelius made a few gestures to the stagehand, and the music stopped. The muttering grew louder. Cornelius put his hand softly on Wilbur's shoulder, and he jumped just slightly as if he forgot where he was. Looking up into his dad's concerned blue eyes, Wilbur took a deep breath.

"Sorry."

"Are you OK?"

"Yeah, I think."

"Then lets do this." Cornelius straightened up, and Wilbur nodded firmly at the stagehand again. The slow and steady beat of the music came through again, this time accompanied with the strong tones of Wilbur's guitar. Cornelius watched his son proudly, and counted the bars until he came in. _Well...here goes..._he thought, and took a steady breath.

_Let it go,  
Let it roll right off your shoulder,  
Don't you know  
The hardest part is over  
Let it in,  
Let your clarity define you  
In the end  
You will only just remember how it feels. _

Our lives are made  
In these small hours,  
These little wonders,  
These twists and turns of fate  
Time falls away,  
But these small hours,  
These small hours  
Still remain.

OoOoOoOoO

Franny looked on through her fingers, tears sliding down her face as she hiccuped with every passing sentence of her song. Lucille and Billie hugged her tight, with Gaston's hand on her shoulder as the whole Robinson clan stared, astounded, at the two men onstage. Wilbur looked so comfortable in playing the song that he hadn't made a single mistake (that they could tell), and Cornelius sang and strummed along like a natural. They weren't the only ones gawking, however, the whole stadium became quiet as they just drank in the smooth words of the song.

Let it slide,  
Let your troubles fall behind you  
Let it shine,  
Till you feel it all around you  
And I don't mind  
If it's me you need to turn to,  
We'll get by  
It's the heart that really matters in the end.

Our lives are made  
In these small hours,  
These little wonders,  
These twists and turns of fate  
Time falls away,  
But these small hours,  
These small hours  
Still remain

All of my regret  
Will wash away somehow,  
But I cannot forget  
the way I feel right now.

In these small hours  
These little wonders,  
These twists and turns of fate,  
Yeah, these twisted turns of fate!  
Time falls away  
Yeah, but these small hours,  
These small hours 

_Still remain._

Franny couldn't take it anymore. Standing up, she rushed out of the box with tears streaming down her face.

OoOoOoOoO

Cornelius closed his eyes as the last words of the song reverberated from his throat, and Wilbur ceased his movements.

Silence.

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**_Reviews, my lovelies? Not done yet!_**


	15. Tears

**_A/N: When MTR Lover messaged me with a plea to finish this story, I flicked through my documents and couldn't believe it's taken me five months to write this chapter. Please, find it in your hearts to forgive me, it's probably not worth the wait. But after having psyched myself up about the three other stories I'm currently working on, I felt you lovely people deserved to have one completed at last. Try to enjoy as much as possible. :S_**

* * *

Silence.

Cornelius opened his eyes, and glanced at his son, who shrugged. He was expecting, if not a _polite _applause, then at least some rejection or just..._something_. Looking back out at the mute crowd, he confusedly began walking offstage with Wilbur in tow.

They were stopped as someone in one of the Top Boxes began applauding, the noise echoing around the cavernous room. Everyone's heads turned to get a glimpse at the person, the enormous wave effect quite a sight to see. Cornelius squinted, until a spotlight revealed none other than Grandpa Bud, standing backwards so that the smiley face drawn on the back of his head grinned down maniacally at his adopted son. The rest of the Robinson family quickly joined in, which opened the floodgates of the multitudes.

The two boys stood grinning as they received one of the loudest cheers they had heard the entire night. Cornelius looked on, amused, as Wilbur moved forward and gave a theatrical bow. He had a feeling that Drama would be one of Wilbur's best subjects, for some strange reason. _Hang on, _Cornelius thought slowly as he scanned the Robinson box._ But where's...? _

_"Cornelius!"_

His question was answered as Franny pushed roughly past the security guards and came hurtling onto the stage, launching herself into his arms with tears ruining her make-up. Cornelius actually fell over on impact, making the assembled families laugh as she landed in his lap with a _thump_. Wilbur smiled, embarrassed, and tugged at his mothers arm as she continued to cry into her husbands collar. Cornelius gently helped her up, and the trio made their slow way off the stage.

"You...Wilbur and _hic..._a_ song..._Grace-" Franny spluttered wetly. Cornelius kissed the top of her head as they passed back through layers of dark scaffolding.

"Ssh..." He said quietly, and she hiccupped again, and he marvelled at how she could still be so beautiful even with her face all blotchy and red.

"Mum? You OK?" Wilbur asked tentatively, peering at his mothers face as they neared the exit. Franny choked back another sob and flung herself on Wilbur, squeezing the life out of him.

"Oh, _Wilbur!_"

"Is that a yes?"

Franny rolled her eyes at her son and kissed his nose.

_"Mum!" _

"You two were so…oh, God," Franny whimpered, and Cornelius wrapped his arms even tighter around her shaking shoulders as his own eyes started to tear up. Wilbur looked rather uncomfortable, and was glad when they stumbled out into the starry night to meet with the rest of the Robinson clan.

"There they are!" Lucile sing-songed loudly, running over to the small family with open arms.

"Golly, that was-"

"WOW, you two!"

"-So amazing-"

"Didn't even know-"

"You must be so proud!"

"That was so sad, I-"

"-You guys can play guitar! Perfectly!"

"-Couldn't stop crying!"

The family continued to rain down their admiration and wonder as the huddled group slowly made their way over to their cars. Wilbur couldn't stop blushing, so he ran ahead to open the car door for his mother. She seemed pretty much incapable of any activity at that moment, and Cornelius almost had to lift her into the car.

"You alright?" He asked her softly, reaching over to buckle her seatbelt. Franny just beamed at him with wet eyes, which he took as a 'yes'. "I love you," Cornelius murmured sentimentally, kissing her sweetly before closing the door with a click. Running around to the driver's seat just as people began to trickle through the stadium doors, he smiled at Wilbur in the backseat. Wilbur flashed him the thumbs-up. _Well done, you_.

* * *

Cornelius gripped his hair tightly, biting down on his lower lip while he sat in the darkness of Grace's bedroom, glasses on the floor beside him. They were of no use, he couldn't see anyway from the blinding tears and darkness. Cornelius wiped his eyes with the back of his sleeve, choking back the moan threatening to escape his throat. It hurt to be here, but he knew that he needed to confront and get over that hurt to be able to move on.

He was slouched against the wall opposite Grace's crib. Franny had told him she had passed away in her sleep, which only slightly eased the pain he felt building in his head. The pain in his chest, in his throat, ready to burst out his mouth in some form of anguished scream.

The tiny fingers, the blonde curls, the beautiful brown eyes he had first fallen for in Franny. How she would grab his glasses whenever he blew raspberries on her tiny belly, how she would chatter and gurgle nonsensically to Carl, and he would talk back. How she would rearrange her building blocks for half an hour, determined to get it right as he sat and smiled into her frustrated face. How she would curl into the groove his neck when he held her.

His darling girl. Grace Louis Robinson…she was gone.

Cornelius pulled his knees up to his chin, rocking back and forth against the wall as he started to sob. It wasn't fair. It shouldn't have happened. Not to her.

"Cornelius?"

Franny opened the door sightly, the glow from the hallway illuminating the tall figure huddled on the floor. She slipped in, closing the door again and feeling her way over to her miserable husband. "Ssh, it's OK," she muttered, holding him the way he had done earlier that night, after the concert. He looked up at her, his normally blue eyes red.

"No, It's not. We could have stopped it, prevented it from happening-"

"Cornelius…it did happen. There's nothing we could have done…she's dead," Franny mumbled into his ear. She had already been through this grieving process about five times before the boys even got out of the lab. Cornelius was shaking his head furiously.

"She can't be dead, she can't be, two months isn't life at all, she didn't do anything wrong…she shouldn't be gone," he said mournfully into Franny's neck. She ran her fingers over his back, trying to offer some kind of comfort. She knew it wouldn't help, but it stopped his sadness from turning into rage. For now.

"Our baby," Cornelius whispered, twisting his finger's through Franny's hair. She couldn't help the small whimper that left her mouth, gripping her best friend tightly. Her adjusted eyes flickered over the room around them, left exactly as it had been that horrible day. The scattered toys, the books and miniature clothes, the empty cot. The perfect, happy scene so tainted with sorrow that she could barely stand to sit with her husband amongst the remnants of their tiny girl.

"This...will take time. It's so damn hard to accept the facts...it's in the past, now. You have to keep moving forward, no matter how much we both want to go back."

Cornelius looked up with wide eyes. "The past...maybe...I _can_ go back-"

"That's not going to help, Lewis, and you know it." Franny held him firmly against her, not allowing him to move. He bunched his hands in the fabric of her gown, resisting the urge to hit something.

"We have to do _something_!" He growled, refusing to submit to the horrible reality he was sitting in. Franny shook her head, rocking him gently, whispering soothing noises both of them desperately needed to hear. They stayed like that until Cornelius' heavy breathing quietened to a normal rate.

"Come to bed," Franny murmured, tugging Cornelius' arm. He got up slowly, still shaky and cold. He looked once more around him, and forced his legs to take him over to the cot. He stared down at Grace's hand-made blanket, his tears run dry. Reaching down to feel the soft fabric, he closed his eyes tightly and exhaled. _I love you_, he thought to the heavens, and a single tear leaked from his eyes, running down past his shaking lips. He bowed his head in almost a prayer, gripping the wooden frame of the cot. _I love you so much._

* * *

Cornelius sat at his desk in the study, feet propped up and pen tapping against the hard wood as he gazed at the photo frame opposite him. In it, Franny was standing with his arms around her, Wilbur in the foreground holding Grace. They were all beaming out at him, and Cornelius was trying to contemplate a time after Grace's death when he had been that happy. He had been reflecting for almost an hour now.

Someone knocked on the door, and he called out for them to enter. It was Wilbur.

"Dad?"

He stopped clicking his pen. "Yeah?"

"Guitar practice in twenty minutes, don't forget." Wilbur had been doing lessons ever since their performance a month ago, and it amazed Cornelius how fast a learner he was.

"I won't. What song are you doing now?"

"Uhm…its like a highly modernised version of Pachelbel's Canon. Doesn't sound so lame anymore."

Cornelius smiled. "I'm sure."

"Seeya soon! Don't forget please, write a note or something." And he sprinted away. Cornelius never really understood why Wilbur felt the need to run everywhere. He resumed his tapping, looking around for a boring book he could read. Opening his desk draw, he picked up and flicked open his copy on Physics 101. Wilbur had received it through school, and Cornelius was trying to disprove as many statements made as possible. Just for fun.

"Cornelius? Got a minute?" Franny asked from the doorway, resplendent in a new blue dress she'd bought. He nodded, putting the book down as he smiled at her. She walked over gracefully, and nudged his feet off the tabletop.

"I was just thinking…I never really thanked you enough for singing that song. Little Wonders, it meant so much to me, and you boys doing it made the night so much more special…I just wanted you to know," She said tenderly, gripping his hand.

"Least we could do," he replied softly, reaching up to brush a stray hair from her face. She smiled, and leant down to kiss him. She loved the fact that their marriage was still so strong, after more than twenty years since their wedding.

"Feel free to thank me like this anytime, anywhere," He grinned against her mouth. She rolled her eyes, sliding off the desk. She was about to leave, hovering in the doorframe, when she decided something. Franny didn't move from her spot as Cornelius continued reading. She closed the door for a small amount of privacy, and he immediately looked up, searching her face as she twisted her wedding band around her finger.

"There's something else I have to tell you, Lewis."

_Lewis_? He thought blankly. Franny only called him Lewis in very intimate situations, or when he'd done something extremely stupid. This, he deduced, didn't fit much into either category. So what could have happened, which merited the use of his orphan name?

Franny smiled tentatively, stepping forward again so she could sit down deftly on his scattered papers. He reached out to hold her hand, and she looked down at their entwined fingers.

"This isn't about Grace, is it?" He asked softly. She shook her head.

"No. Well, kind of. Not really. But in some ways-"

"Franny, spit it out."

"Sorry." She sighed, and closed her eyes. After a brief moment, she opened them and smiled serenely at Cornelius.

"I'm pregnant."

* * *

**_THE END. FINALLY. -bows to a very scattered applause-_**

**_Thankyou for reading, my fantastic friends. It is my pleasure. If you enjoyed this story, go to my author page to check out the others Im currently inscribing. The writing isn't as bad, because I've had a tonne of practice since this one. If you loved Pregnant, review. If you didn't, review. If you don't really care, review. I'll try to return the favor ;) If you're really unhappy with the ending, I can write an epilougue...you'll have to give me the ideas, otherwise I won't have a clue as to how it goes. All praise goes to MTR Lover for kicking my butt back into action. Until next time, sayonara sweethearts! xx_**


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